Moving Trolley for an I Beam Extrusion

ABSTRACT

An I beam trolley that can move along an I beam

This application claims priority from provisional application No. 61/061,403, filed Jun. 13, 2008, and from application No. 61/165,435, filed Mar. 31, 2009, and from 61/176,692, filed May 8, 2009, the entire contents of all which are herewith incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Support structures are used throughout show venues such as plays and concerts. In addition, it may be useful to move items, such as props and other items to different places on the stage.

SUMMARY

The present application describes a trolley device for use on as a support beam such as an I beam. It also describes a special support beam that can be used in 2 different directions, where in one direction, the I beam part is facing downward, and in the other direction, a cavity-shaped part faces downward.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a special two-sided track, one side of which is an I-beam;

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of an I-beam trolley with surfaces for hanging loads;

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of an I beam trolley with a festoon holder that allows items to be draped over a surface thereof;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the trolley on an I beam;

FIG. 5 shows another view of the trolley on the special I-beam of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the trolley on the I-beam;

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view showing the parts of the trolley; and

FIGS. 8A-8D show an alternative embodiment of the festoon assembly with a safety part.

Embodiments refer to an I-beam trolley that has wheels that can attach to an I beam, and form a trolley device, that can hold items and travel along the trolley. Another aspect describes a special I beam track extrusion.

The figure shows how wheels can ride on the flat surface of an ibeam, to move along that flat surface.

The figures show details of construction and use.

This can be used with any support structure that has a flat surface, and is not limited to an I beam. For example, this can be used with the extrusion shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows a cross section along the special extrusion. The main support 150 has a “top” end 100 (in the perspective of FIG. 1) and a bottom end 120. The beam may be formed of steel or other structural material.

The top 100 is shaped like a conventional I beam where the main support 150 ends and extends outward to two arms 114, 115. There is s flat mounting surface 116 on the bar of the arms.

The bottom end 120 ends in a cavity shaped part, with surfaces 122, 123 on the inside of the cavity. The surfaces 122 may have indented portions 124, which are slightly lower than the other surfaces, to receive, for example, a mounting part for an object in a way that resists the mounting going over the edge. This may allow rolled items to roll along the track.

When used in this direction, the device may be attached at its top, using screws 102, 103 to press the mounting surface against a support. By mounting in this direction, a device can be held or can slide along the track parts while held by the portions 122, 123.

The device can be turned upside down, to have the part 100 facing down. This allows rollers to roll on the surfaces for example 112. Therefore, this device takes the place of two different tracks.

When in the orientation of FIG. 1, the special trek section 120 can be used, and in the orientation opposite to that in FIG. 1, the I-beam portion can be used.

When the I-beam portion 100 is hanging downward, the special trolley system of FIGS. 2-7 can be used to slide along the I-beam portions. The trolley is shown in FIG. 2. In general, the trolley includes a first housing part 220, connected to an oppositely-facing second housing part 222. Each housing part has two rollers, and the rollers face one another and hold on the ibeam.

A first set of rollers 200, 202 are opposite to one another on the first and second housing parts respectively. A second set of rollers 210, 212 is spaced from the first set of rollers, and again opposite to one another. The rollers are rotatable along the rotational axis shown as 201 to slide along an I beam.

The bottom tangent surface 205 of the rollers can at any time be supported against the spaced outer arms 114, 115 of an I beam. This allows the trolley when in the closed position of FIG. 2, to be held on the I-beam, as a captive way so that it can not be removed from the I beam. The four wheels held on the I-beam support the trolley rolling along the I-beam, and can support one or more hung items thereon.

The item support is shown generally as 220, including a support pole 222 into which an item can be placed for holding. For example, a hook or chain can be used to hang items from the holder 222.

An alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 3, attaches a festoon attachment 300 to the bottom of the trolley. The festoon attachment has a curved surface that allows placing chains etc over the surface, to hold any number items so long as they can be held in that way.

FIG. 4 illustrates how the I-beam 400 can fit between the wheels such as 200, 202 to hold the trolley device 199 on the I-beam and allow it to roll therealong. The single piece support 220 with the holding portion 222 is shown held between captive nuts. In an alternative embodiment, this may hold the festoon in place of the captive nuts or between captive nuts.

FIG. 5 illustrates the I-beam trolley on as held on the special track shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows the same structure from an end on view.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the parts that collectively make up an embodiment of the trolley. Two different sides of the trolley, 700, 705 may be separable in order to place the wheels, as needed, over the I-beam. One side has the wheels 200, 210, and the other side has the wheels 202, 212. As best seen in FIG. 7, each wheel such as 202 may have a substantially flat part 710 that is sized to ride on the surface of the I-beam, and may have a slightly elongated part 712 which is wider than the other part 710. The area between the sections 710, 712 forms a shelf 711. The distance between the shelf 711 and the corresponding shelf 714 on the other wheel can define edges that keep the device substantially mounted on the I-beam track. FIG. 7 also shows a bottom roller 750, which can press 750 which can press against the bottom portion, for example, of the I beam.

In operation, the two sides 700, 705 can be separated, the trolley placed on the track, and then the sides can again be connected, for example using the connection screw 715. While FIG. 7 shows the carrier being of the style in FIG. 2, as 220, it should be understood that the carrier can alternatively be any of the alternative festoon style carriers.

As an alternative, the trolley can be placed on an I beam from the end of that I beam without disassembling the trolley.

An alternative embodiment of the trolley with an enhanced festoon assembly is shown in FIGS. 8A-8D. The trolley 800 is connected to the enhanced festoon assembly 805. This festoon assembly 805 provides a movable safety mechanism that facilitates sliding items on and off the holding surface.

The device has, when in the non-safety mode, an opening in its front portion at 810. For example, a chain or cable can be placed into the opening, in the area generally shown as 811. This chain/cable 811 is raised over a surface 825, then rested against the curved upper surface 812 of the festoon assembly 805. Once the holding cable is put into place, a movable safety part 815 may be moved upward position to hold the cable into place.

For example, FIG. 8B shows a cross-section across the trolley of FIG. 8A with the improved festoon assembly.

FIG. 8A shows the rollers 200, 210, 750, or pressing against an I-beam or other similar support.

The cross-section of FIG. 8B shows the different rollers, and again shows the variable diameter rollers, where the roller 200 is shown with the two diameters 710, 711. As shown, the facing roller 750 does not have two corresponding diameters, although in an alternative embodiment, it could so have.

In FIG. 8B, the safety 815 is in its lowered position, so the cable 811 is shown faith pressing generally against the surface 812. There are still holding surfaces such as 825 which prevent the chain from falling off, however, the chain can still be lifted over the holding surface 825 to be placed on the festoon surface 812. FIG. 8C shows the safety in its safe position. The safety 815 has been raised up to press against the bottom most surface 826 of the festoon holder. In one embodiment, it can be screwed tightly into place, using the corresponding hole 827.

This safety mechanism can be used, for example, when the festoon is holding, for example, a performer. For example, the performer can be wearing straps, and carried by the festoon along the I-beam trolley.

The safety 815 can also be moved upwards as shown in FIG. 8D, to provide a second holding surface 835.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8A, the safety moves along a slotted track shown as 840. The safety can move to the uppermost position in the slotted track to be in the position shown in FIG. 8C. The safety 815 can then be turned around, for example, to reach the position shown in FIG. 8D.

Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, other sizes, materials and connections can be used. Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the-words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims.

Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should be considered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, while still staying within the teachings of the present application, unless some different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specified logical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to be encompassed. 

1. A device, comprising: a trolley device for traveling on a beam, that has a first housing part, having first and third wheels thereon, an oppositely facing second housing part, having second and fourth wheels thereon, where said first housing part and said second housing part are separable from one another and can be attached to be spaced from one another, when said first housing part is attached to said second housing part, said first and second wheels being opposite to one another, by a distance that allows the wheels to ride on arms of an I beam and where a distance between said first and second wheels fits the support part of said I beam and are separable from one another; said third and fourth wheels being spaced from said first and second wheels, wherein said third and fourth wheels are separable from one another, and when attached, roll along said arms of said I beam along with said first and second wheels, a holder, coupled between said first housing part, and said second housing part, said holder connected to move with said first and second housing, and said.
 2. A device as in claim 1, wherein each of said wheels has a first smaller in diameter portion in an area further from said housing, and a second larger in diameter portion, adjacent said housing.
 3. A device as in claim 2, wherein, when in the position where said first and second housing portions are attached to one another, said larger in diameter portions are separated by a distance of a desired support beam.
 4. A device as in claim 3, wherein said desired support team is an I beam.
 5. A device as in claim 1, wherein said holder comprises a downwardly-facing device with an open surface therein.
 6. A device as in claim 1, wherein said holder comprises a curved surface, over which items can be hung.
 7. An ibeam trolley, comprising: a trolley device for traveling on a flat surface of an I beam, said trolley device having a housing, multiple wheels attached to said housing that travel along the ibeam surface, and a structure that holds said trolley on said I beam; and a holder, coupled to said housing, said holder connected to move with said housing, and having an item holding surface.
 8. A trolley as in claim 7, wherein each of said wheels has a first smaller in diameter portion in an area further from said housing, and a second larger in diameter portion, adjacent said housing.
 9. A trolley as in claim 8, wherein said smaller diameter portions of said wheels are sized to fit on a desired support beam.
 10. A trolley as in claim 7, wherein said surface is an opening for receiving an attachment.
 11. A trolley as in claim 7, wherein said surface is a curved surface, over which items can be hung.
 12. A trolley as in claim 11, wherein further comprising a safety which holds items in said surface.
 13. A trolley as in claim 12, wherein said safety is a movable safety.
 14. A trolley as in claim 13, wherein said safety is moved to a position where items on said surface cannot be removed from said surface without moving said safety to a non-safe position.
 15. A track extrusion, comprising: a substantially elongated axis; a first portion, on a first side of the substantially elongated axis, said first portion including symmetrical portions extending in opposite directions, each of said portions being substantially flattened, and having an opposite, attachment surface; and a second portion, on a second side of the substantially elongated axis, said second portion including a cavity portion with inwardly facing flanges, and an open bottom. 